Thin-film magnetic head structure, method of manufacturing the same, and thin-film magnetic head

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head structure comprises the steps of preparing an insulating layer 10 ; forming a first resist layer 51 provided with a first slit pattern 51 a corresponding to a very narrow groove part and a second slit pattern 51 b corresponding to a temporary groove part integrally extending from the very narrow groove part along outer edges of a main depression onto the insulating layer 10 ; etching the insulating layer 10 while using the first resist layer 51 as a mask; eliminating the first resist layer 51 ; forming a second resist layer having an opening pattern corresponding to the main depression onto the insulating layer 10 ; and etching the insulating layer 10 while using the second resist layer as a mask.

1. A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head structure adapted to manufacture a thin-film magnetic head comprising a main magnetic pole layer having a magnetic pole end part on a side of a medium-opposing surface opposing a recording medium; a write shield layer opposing the magnetic pole end part so as to form a recording gap layer on the medium-opposing surface side; a thin-film coil wound about the write shield layer or main magnetic pole layer; and a base insulating layer formed with a magnetic pole forming depression, filled with the main magnetic pole layer, including a very narrow groove part defining a form of the magnetic pole end part and a main depression integrally extending from an end part of the very narrow groove part remote from the medium-opposing surface;
 the method comprising, when forming the base insulating layer with the magnetic pole forming depression, the steps of: 
 forming a first resist layer on the base insulating layer, the first resist layer having a first slit pattern corresponding to the very narrow groove part in the magnetic pole forming depression and a second slit pattern integrally extending from the first slit pattern and corresponding to a temporary groove part integrally extending from the very narrow groove part along an outer edge of the main depression; 
 etching the base insulating layer while using the first resist layer as a mask; 
 forming a second resist layer having an opening pattern corresponding to the main depression on the base insulating layer after removing the first resist layer; and 
 etching the base insulating layer while using the second resist layer as a mask. 
 
     
     
       2. A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the etching of the base insulating layer is deeper when using the second resist layer as the mask than when using the first resist layer as the mask. 
     
     
       3. A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head structure according to  claim 2 , wherein at least a part of the main depression is constituted by a variable width depression integrally extending from the end part of the very narrow groove part remote from the medium-opposing surface and gradually increasing the width as distanced farther from the very narrow groove part; and
 wherein the second slit pattern extends along the outer edge of the variable width depression. 
 
     
     
       4. A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head structure according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the main depression is constituted by a variable width depression integrally extending from the end part of the very narrow groove part remote from the medium-opposing surface and gradually increasing the width as distanced farther from the very narrow groove part; and
 wherein the second slit pattern extends along the outer edge of the variable width depression. 
 
     
     
       5. A method of manufacturing a thin-film magnetic head structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the second slit pattern extends in a bifurcating fashion from the first slit pattern along both outer edges of the main depression.